The invention relates generally to connecting tubes for medical use. Examples are tubes exiting from a patient to an appropriate device such as a pump or collection vessel for drainage fluid. Some of the problems in the prior art include leakage, kinking, obstruction, dislodgement, poor access, difficult assembly and the unavailability of a suitably sized connector.
A common goal of various disciplines within medicine and surgery is to keep naturally open anatomical structures open. When these structures are compromised, or occluded from external compression, internal occlusion or other problems, prosthetic tubes are often placed to establish drainage. The energy and resources required to place such prosthetic tubes are frequently lost due to poor or inadequate connectors to appropriate collecting devices. These tubes are frequently of small caliber and brought to an external collecting device by means of a larger drainage tube.
The presently available connectors generally fall into two broad categories. Connectors in one category use external compression to maintain an effective seal. An example of this group is a nipple connector which generally has a plastic diaphragm with a central slit. Another example is a screw-compression variety which usually has a plastic washer compressed by means of a two-part screw mount. The other broad category of presently available connectors includes the internal male-to-female type connectors, typically having a conical shape.
Some of the problems with the presently available connectors are the following. A seal may be made inadequately in an attempt to prevent obstruction. This would result in leakage. Similarly, lack of adhesion between the connector and the tube would result in leakage.
When a small tube is connected to a larger tube, problems of kinking can occur. This may result from an acute transition between the tube diameters or between the relative stiffness of the tubes. Obstruction of the tube may be caused by decreasing luminal diameter secondary to excessive extrinsic compression from the connector. The excessive compression may have been placed in an attempt to prevent dislodgement and leakage. Also, obstruction can occur from decreasing luminal diameter secondary to an internal luminal connector.
Additional problems are dislodgement of the connector, either from the tube which goes to the patient or from a tube which goes to some other external device. Unavailability of a suitable connector to properly fit a particular tube may also cause problems with connection, particularly leakage. Access for irrigation or drainage may be poor and sometimes assembly is difficult.